Nobody decides to be a poor communicator. They become ineffective through neglect. Instead of mindful, intentional communication, they adopt clichés and … Read more
21 Talent Pros Weigh in on the Capitol Attack
Yesterday, the Capitol was attacked by a mob of terrorists. Democracy was threatened as never before in modern U.S. history. To run an article about … Read more
How Language Makes You Likable — or Not!
Following the recent Supreme Court justice confirmation hearings and the presidential and vice presidential debates, you heard the pundits, as well as … Read more
Start With a Joke — or Maybe Not!
The standard line among professional speakers about the importance of humor, even in serious business or technical presentations, goes like this: Question: … Read more
Say What You Have to Say, Don’t Read Your Script
We’ve just come through a political season where we heard (or saw?) speakers reading their scripts — during the conventions, during Supreme Court … Read more
5 Leadership Communication Habits That Destroy Unity
Cyberbullying has received increased attention during the last few years, focusing primarily on children and teens. But adults can be bullying victims as … Read more
4 Communication Lessons From Leaders Who Fail
Many so-called experts today talk about leadership but have never led anything more complex than a high-school marching band. They offer principles as if … Read more
Getting a Grip on Common Grammar Errors
HR often plays the parental role within an organization, particularly in sensitive or crisis situations like mergers, natural disasters, layoffs, or … Read more
When Frontline Workers Return to Work
As people start, stop, and start again to return to the workplace, they are likely to see large-scale changes. Such changes will be especially paramount in … Read more
Do You Have Executive Presence?
At a SHRM mega-session years ago while speaking on the topic of executive presence, I included an audience demonstration about the body language aspect of … Read more
When Covid-19, Remote Work, and Timekeeping Compliance Collide
The rapid transition of many employees to a remote working environment due to COVID-19 presents challenges for maintaining compliance with wage and hour … Read more
Handling Hecklers in the Cheap Seats — Virtual and Otherwise
You have 60 seconds to name all the movies that include a scene like the following: The heroine (or hero) is standing in front of a gathering of … Read more
Secrets Savvy Presenters Use to Keep a Q&A Helpful
A boss’s offhand comment, “Be sure to leave time for Q&A,” often causes great concern among presenters. Maybe they have flashbacks of presidential … Read more
What 2020 Taught HR About Communications
I never even heard the term “fake news” until 2016. Although it rapidly became a Donald Trump rallying cry, cynically (and inaccurately) tied to respected … Read more
What to Ask — and Not to Ask — in Employee Surveys
With in-person interactions being few and far between for many teams, employee engagement is especially crucial to your business’ success. It starts with … Read more
5 Steps to Think Clearly When You Write
An employee at a large oil company submitted a suggestion that netted him $18,000 from his company’s incentive-awards program. Although I can’t share the … Read more
How to Turn Down Applicants Tactfully — and Truthfully
Eggs and rejections should be done over-easy. Turning down applicants with class pays off in your long-term recruiting efforts and reputation as a great … Read more
How COVID-19 Has Changed Communication for the Better — and the Worst
When you have yet another email hitting your inbox with an invitation to an online meeting, how do you react? Eager to take part or irritated at the … Read more
5 Metrics for Your Corporate Communication
Ask executives if their organizations communicate well, and chances are you’ll hear a resounding yes. But ask those a little lower in the ranks and you may … Read more
HR Famous: United Airlines vs. Blondes Lawsuit, and Slack Growth Woes
In episode 34 of The HR Famous Podcast, longtime HR leaders (and friends) Tim Sackett, Kris Dunn, and Jessica Lee come together to discuss a recent … Read more